Author: Jerry Villainous

IT Engineering, robotics, creative flex, craft beer, madness. Shake vigorously to change the order for delightfully problematic results.

new release and an expansion

a new beer release from bomber brewing
and expansion news from bridge brewing

BOMBER BREWING’S BARLEYWINE PROVES WELL WORTH THE WAIT
Apex Barleywine: Aged for 9 months in French oak, single-use Cab Franc and Cab Merlot
barrels, this American-style barleywine is both balanced and complex. Full-bodied, it shines
a deep mahogany brown, punctuated by medium-high carbonation. Light notes of alcohol,
treacle, and dark fruit fill the nose, hinting at the warmth within. A subtle, lingering bitterness 
is accompanied by a rich maltiness thanks to the use of over 15 malts. Drink it now or cellar 
it for months or years to come!
About Apex Barleywine:
Appearance: Dark, rich mahogany brown.
Aroma: Carmel malts, sherry, raisin, subdued hops, light alcohol.
Flavour: Softly bitter from both the start and finish, earthy, dry, slightly vinous.
Mouthfeel: Full-bodied with medium-high carbonation.
ABV = 10%     
Original Gravity = 1.099
Bitterness = 73 IBU
Colour = 12 SRM
     Apex Barleywine is available now in 650ml bottles, on tap
     in the Bomber Brewing tasting room, and in select private liquor stores.
Bridge Brewing rings in 2015 by expanding production capacity threefold

Vancouver’s first nano brewery now distributes all over B.C

The North Shore’s Bridge Brewing is moving to a new location on January 15. The brewery now has the space to more than triple production allowing Bridge to offer customers an increased selection of award winning craft beer and seats to enjoy it. To celebrate the move, Bridge is offering customers a complementary glass of the specialty keg, Molasses and Black fig Stout.

Bridge founder, Jason Stratton admits that it’s always pouring on the North Shore, at least at Bridge Brewing. “When we opened in 2012, we set our goal on making a single great craft beer. We received overwhelming customer support we have continued to expand to meet demand.”

“Today we offer a selection of four year-round brews with a variety of seasonals and an extensive cask program across the Lower Mainland.”

Bridge Brewing distributes product across British Columbia to Quesnel, William’s Lake, all over Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland. Regular offerings include the North Shore Pale, Hopilano IPA, Wonderbar Kolsch and All-Out Stout. Some recent cask offerings include a Honey and Lemon Heffeweizen Friendly Fire ISA, and a Cascade Apple and Thyme Ale.

FAST FACTS

Opened in July 2012.
·         The new brewery is 4,500 square feet, vs the current 930 square feet.
·         Annual capacity increases to 5,000 barrels (585,000 litres),up from 1,500 barrels (175,000) litres). To put this in perspective, a growler is 1.89 litres, a bomber is 650 ml, and a standard keg is 50 litres.
·         The company is a good steward of the community and hosts the annual 10km Growler Run, which benefits the North Shore Crisis Centre.
·         Bridge Brewing is currently a 99.9% garbage free brewery.  Almost everything that comes into the brewery is reused and recycled. 
·         Bridge Brewing won the Brewer’s Challenge Award for best purl cask at the 5th Annual BC Beer Awards & Festival this spring.
·         The Bridge team was awarded the Silver Medal for the All Out Stout at the 2014 Canadian Brewing Awards.
 
New address: 1448 Charlotte Road, North Vancouver

cbc website

from the cbc website, my column!

4 B.C. craft beer changes to look forward to in 2015

More growth predicted for the already booming craft beer industry in B.C.

By On the Coast, CBC NewsPosted: Jan 09, 2015 7:42 AM PTLast Updated: Jan 09, 2015 12:51 PM PT
B.C. craft beer fans can expect even more breweries to open in 2015

B.C. craft beer fans can expect even more breweries to open in 2015
Close

Beer columnist Rebecca Whyman on B.C. craft beer predictions for 2015 6:59

Here are four changes B.C. craft beer fans should expect:

More breweries

Dogwood Brewing should be opening in the next two weeks near S.E. Marine and Knight Street in Vancouver. It’s an organic brewery and will be offering IPA, honey ale and stout.
Off the Rail Brewing will be opening their doors at the beginning of February, across from Bomber Brewing on Adanac Street in east Vancouver. It’s owned by Steve Forsyth, former owner of Vancouver’s Railway Club. He will also be the brewmaster.
Forsyth has spent the past five years growing hops. Off the Rail will open with five beers: a lager, a pilsner, a pale ale, a red ale and an IPA.
Red Truck Brewing‘s long-awaited tasting lounge near First Avenue and Main street should be opening on March 15, 2015.

Growlers galore

Growler fans rejoice! A new website lists all the breweries in the province and provides contact information and hours of operation.
It will eventually will be an up-to-date source for which beers they have available for growler fills and in the tasting room.
Currently, if you want to know about growler fills you have to follow all of the breweries on Facebook and Twitter. This website aims to give craft beer fans one site to check for all of the listings.
This will be a very useful tool if you are looking for a specific beer style as beer lovers will be able to sort by style, as well as open status and cost of fill.

2015: The Year of the Sour

“I think that 2015 is going to be the year of the sour in B.C.,” Whyman told On the Coast host Stephen Quinn.
Storm has been brewing sours for many years and Driftwood for several. Townsite Brewing, Parallel 49 and Moon Under Water began brewing sours in 2014.
StrangeFellows will be brewing sours shortly, and Whyman thinks we’re going to see more breweries throwing their hats into that ring as well.

Tied-house tasting rooms

A tied-house tasting room is an off-site tasting room or pub that serves primarily the beer of a particular brewery. By having one in a different city than the brewery itself, a brewery can expand its market without having to worry about getting tap space at someone else’s bar or pub.
For example, Howe Sound Brewing in Squamish can have a tasting room in Vancouver where they can serve their whole line-up of beers.
In 2014 Vancouver got two of these — Prohibition and Devil’s Elbow.
Whyman would like to see more of them, and has heard that a couple more of these will be opening up in the Lower Mainland in 2015, but no confirmation as of yet.
To hear the full interview, click on the audio track labelled: Beer columnist Rebecca Whyman on B.C. craft beer predictions for 2015

sad days

san francisco is no longer a viable place for many businesses
the next on the list to close is the abbott’s cellar
i never made it there, but i sure did love my visit to the monk’s kettle, its sister watering hole

The Abbot’s Cellar Closing End of January
 
Abbot’s Cellar’s last service will be Jan 31st: open Tues-Sat for the rest of the month.

It is with great sadness that we announced today that we will be closing the doors of the Abbot’s Cellar by the end of the month.  Our last day of service will be Saturday Jan 31st, and we will be open Tuesday-Saturday until then (closed Sunday and Monday).

We are very proud of what we created here.  Since we opened in July 2012, we received a nomination for a James Beard award (Outstanding Bar Program), a 3-star review from Michael Bauer, and were on Bauer’s Top 100 Restaurants list the last two years.  But more than that, we further expanded the world of craft beer and food pairing.  We sought to show that craft beer and fine dining are not paradoxical, and each night we saw the epiphanies happen on the faces of surprised and happy guests, and we couldn’t be more proud.

But alas, the long-term financial success of the restaurant is not a reality.  There are many reasons for this, but the cold hard truth is that it is becoming more and more difficult to be profitable in this industry in San Francisco, especially for a labor-intensive, fine dining restaurant.  The dining scene is changing rapidly in the city, and we’ve felt the effects.  Whatever challenges we are facing now will only become more acute as we move further into 2015.  We are not the only ones to see this hard reality, and that is seen in the announcements of restaurant closures every day.

We regret that we’ve had to make this announcement.   But we have been blessed with a stellar staff that has agreed to stay with us until the end in order to give one last month of service.  So make your reservation now, and stop by to say goodbye to a unique place that was well loved.  Thanks again for all your support over the years, and know that we will continue the tradition of craft beer and food over at the Monk’s Kettle–that place is going nowhere….
 
 

new releases

from stone brewing:

AN IPA THAT LIVES UP TO ITS NAME

 

We’ve brewed many India pale ales over the past 18 years, from double-down bitter bombs to piney session sippers. Whether it’s big IBUs or a precise ABV, there’s usually a target we’re shooting for. The same is true of this, our latest IPA, but we gave zero thought to any acronyms.

This one was all about packing as much unique and delicious flavor into a glass as humanly possible, regardless of oomph or octane. This intensely citrusy, beautifully bitter beer is worthy of the simple-yet-lordly title of Stone Delicious IPA. Lemondrop and El Dorado hops combine to bring on a magnificent lemon candy-like flavor that’s balanced by hop spice. It’s unlike anything we’ve tasted in nearly two decades of IPA experimentation.

Starting today, this refreshingly sharp creation will begin making its way across the country in 12-ounce six-packs and on draft. Check out the official beer page and new video to discover a different reason why we’re thrilled to introduce yet another IPA. Then learn even more about this FAQ-deserving beer at The Stone Blog.

See the Stone Beer Finder for help finding Stone Delicious IPA at a retailer or bar near you.

from phillips brewing:

Hammer Imperial Stout is smashing it’s way back to liquor stores in the stainless and barrel-aged varieties
 

Hammer Time!

Two Hammer Imperial Stouts Released Side By Side

January 5th, 2015 – Craft beer comrades raise your glasses! The Hammer Imperial Stout is once again smashing back to your local liquor store in 2 varieties.

Crafted in the tradition of the Russian Czarist courts, these twin soldiers were born with the same recipe, but raised very differently. The classic is aged in stainless tanks and full of rich roasted flavours, while the barrel-aged version matures in freshly emptied bourbon barrels which impart rich vanilla oak flavours.  Enjoyed side-by-side, they are a great opportunity to taste first-hand the impact that barrel-aging can have on a beer.

Both varieties pair beautifully with dark winter nights, or if you have the patience, are great candidates to make disappear for awhile in your beer cellar gulag.  Grab yours from your preferred craft-focused private liquor store for a limited time only.

If you would like to try the twins on draft, please join us at the Phillips Kremlin Thursday Jan. 8th from 4-6.
 
Hammer Imperial Stout:
Pours a deep earthy brown colour with a tan head. Aromas of roasted barley with slight coffee undertones.  A big, rich roasted flavour profile accented with hints of chocolate and finishing dry.
 
Hammer Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout:
Pours a deep earthy brown colour with a caramel-coloured head. Aromas of sweet bourbon and vanilla lead to a full-bodied, roasted flavour profile wrapped in soft bourbon with hints of dark chocolate.


from new belgium:

New Belgium Brewing’s Spring Seasonal, Portage Porter,
Salutes the Pursuit of Spring Runoff

This easy drinking, traditional American porter features dark, roasted malts,
with coffee and chocolate aromas


Ft. Collins, Colo., January 5, 2015 – The snowfall from winter leads to great runoff in spring and New Belgium Brewing’s spring seasonal, Portage Porter, celebrates the melting off and returning to the water. The snowmelt can create intense rapids that cause thrill seekers to portage their boats, especially along the rocky banks of the Cache la Poudre river, the local source of water and fun that runs by New Belgium. To honor these water warriors who anxiously await the spring, New Belgium’s Portage Porter is coming out ahead of the warm weather, and is available now through March 2015.

At six percent ABV and 24 IBUs, this beer is a perfect bridge style for the spring season. Portage Porter takes the buoyant aromas of roasted coffee, chocolate and almonds, and steers them toward a silky-smooth mouthfeel, rolling one sip into another. This American porter rings true to traditional style expectations, with a New Belgium twist. Added American-style hops further the original rich, roasty complexity while keeping the hop bitterness in balance. The beer pours an opaque brown, has an upfront sweetness and a creamy medium body that is easy drinking and refreshing. It features Pale, Munich, Black and Chocolate malts, along with Target and Nugget hops.

“With New Belgium Brewing so close to the Cache la Poudre river, there’s a lot of us at the brewery that love to kayak and paddle,” said New Belgium’s Collaboration Business Analyst, Tye Eyden. “This time of year is great because the snowmelt begins and the rivers start to rise. But, often times, that will bring precarious conditions and rapids that we might have to portage around. Portage Porter pays tribute to that awesome experience – the obstacles are part of the fun!”

Portage Porter is available in 12 oz. bottles. Pricing varies by location.

To find New Belgium beers near you, use the New Belgium Libation Location tool: www.newbelgium.com/beer/locator.aspx.

For more information about New Belgium Brewing, visit www.newbelgium.com. You can also follow New Belgium on Facebook at www.facebook.com/newbelgium and Twitter @NewBelgium.

About New Belgium Brewing Company
New Belgium Brewing, makers of Fat Tire Amber Ale and a host of Belgian-inspired beers, is recognized as one of Outside Magazine’s Best Places to Work and one of the Wall Street Journal’s Best Small Businesses. The 100% employee-owned brewery is a Platinum-level Bicycle Friendly Business as designated by the League of American Bicyclists, and one of World Blu’s most democratic U.S. businesses, and a Certified B Corp. In addition to Fat Tire, New Belgium brews nine year-round beers; Ranger IPA, Rampant Imperial IPA, Shift Pale Lager, Snapshot Wheat, Sunshine Wheat, 1554 Black Lager, Blue Paddle Pilsener, Abbey Belgian Ale and Trippel. Learn more at www.newbelgium.com.


Portage_12oz_Bottle.jpg copy 2

beer column

my notes from yesterday’s beer column on cbc radio’s on the coast with stephen quinn
(and the link to the audio):

2014 was an incredible year for craft beer in BC.  So many new breweries opened (21) and none have gone under yet.  I’m not sure 2015 can match that kind of growth, but I do know that three breweries are poised to open in Vancouverin the first three months of 2015. Dogwood Brewing with Claire Wilson at the helm should be opening in the next two weeks at 8284 Sherbrook Street.  Off the Rail Brewing on Adanac Street right across from Bomber Brewing is hoping to open their doors at the beginning of February and Red Truck Brewing’s long awaited tasting room at 295 East 1st Avenue should be opening March 15th.

Dogwood Brewing is an organic brewery and will be offering IPA, Honey Ale and Stout when it opens near SE Marine and Knight Streets.  Follow them on Facebook (Dogwood Brewing) and Twitter (@DogwoodBrew) for word of the official opening.

Off the Rail Brewing is owned by Steve Forsyth, former owner of the Railway Club, who will also be the brewmaster.  Forsyth has spent the past five years growing hops.  They will open with five beers, a lager, a pilsner, a pale ale, a red ale and an ipa in bottles and in the tasting room, with additional seasonal beers available in the tasting room.  Follow them on Facebook and Twitter (@OffTheRailBeer) for updates.

If you are a growler fan, there’s a new website, growlerfill.ca, that lists all the breweries in the Province and provides contact information, hours of operation and eventually will be an up-to-date source for which beers they have available for growler fills and in the tasting room.  Right now if you want to know about growler fills you have to follow all of the breweries on Facebook and Twitter.  Growlerfill.ca aims to give you one site to check for all of the listings.  This will be a very useful tool if you are looking for a specific beer style as you will be able to sort by style, as well as open status and cost of fill.

(If you live in Victoria, you’ve been able to do this for awhile via VictoriaGrowlers.com)

I think that 2015 is going to be the year of the sour in BC.  Storm has been brewing sours for many years and Driftwood for several.  Townsite, Parallel 49 and Moon Under Water put out sours in 2014.  StrangeFellows will be brewing sours (soon I hope!) and I think we’re going to see more breweries throwing their hats into that ring as well.  I aim to get Stephen as addicted to sours as I am, so be prepared for some sour tastings!

One of the things I hope to see more of in 2015 are the tied-house tasting rooms.  2014 saw Vancouverget two of these, Prohibition and Devil’s Elbow.  I would like to see more of them!  A tied-house tasting room is an off-site tasting room or pub that serves primarily the beer of a particular brewery.  By having one in a different city than the brewery itself, a brewery can expand its market without having to worry about getting tap space at someone else’s bar or pub.  So, for example, Howe Sound Brewing in Squamish can have a tasting room in Vancouverwhere they can serve their whole line-up of beers.  I have heard that there will be another of these opening up in the Lower Mainland in 2015, but as I have no confirmation, I’m not going to name any names!

Beer Picks:

StrangeFellows Talisman Pale Ale – mosaic hops and only 3.8% make this the most drinkable beer out there!  Available at the brewery for tasters and growler fills.

Four Winds Oat Porter – a light bodied malty ale with notes of chocolate and coffee.  Available in 4-packs of 330ml bottles and at the tasting room.

Driftwood New Growth Pale Ale – local ingredients shine in this hoppy pale ale.  Available in 650ml bottles.

new releases

     
 
Mt. Begbie Brewing Company Limited Release
 
 
Mt. Begbie Brewery is located in beautiful Revelstoke, a small town with a rich history, in the heart of British Columbia’s spectacular Columbia mountain range.

The company is named after Mt. Begbie, a majestic glacial mountain that dominates the Revelstoke skyline.

In turn, the mountain is named after Matthew “Hanging Judge” Begbie, a colourful character from Revelstoke’s early history, who probably would have benefitted from a sip of Mt. Begbie’s soothing ales before rendering his judgements. Read more about the brewery. 

 
COLD SMOKE – SMOKED PORTER
 
             
         

 
Hop into this beachwood smoked, rich malty Porter 
– the only friend you need on a powder day!
 
  

     BOMBER BREWING WARMS UP WINTER WITH AN OLD FAT HEATER
OLD FAT HEATER Winter Ale: Our version of a classic English Winter Warmer is slightly
sweeter and more malt forward with a moderate floral hop backbone. Notes of dates and figs 
are ripe for the season, while light alcohol and caramel malts linger at the finish, balancing 
perfectly with the minty hop flavour and spicy bitterness. Rid yourself of winter’s chill with
an Old Fat Heater. 
About Old Fat Heater: 
Appearance: Light brown with copper tones.
Aroma: Dark fruits, caramel, floral hop notes, peppermint candy cane, light alcohol
Flavour: Caramel, plum pudding, candy cane, warming alcohol, clean bitter finish.
Mouthfeel: Full bodied with medium-high carbonation.
ABV = 8.0%
Original Gravity = 1.080
Bitterness = 43 IBU
Colour = 18 SRM
     Old Fat Heater is available now in kegs, 650ml bottles,
     and on tap in the Bomber Brewing tasting room.